I concluded that the men were moving slowly enough. It was
half an hour since Seguin had left me, and I could perceive that they
were not half-way round as yet.

I began to make calculations as to how long I would have to wait,
soliloquising as follows:--

"Diameter of the prairie, a mile and a half. It is a circle three times
that: four miles and a half. Phew! I shall not hear the signal in much
less than an hour. I must be patient then, and--what! The brutes are
lying down! Good! There is no danger now of their making off. We
shall have rare sport! One, two, three, six of them down! It must be
the heat and the water. They have drunk too much. There goes another.
Lucky devils! They have nothing else to do but eat and sleep, while I--
no! eight down! Well! I hope soon to eat, too. What an odd way they
have of coming to the ground! How different from anything of the bovine
tribe I have yet observed! I have never seen buffaloes quieting down
before. One would think they were falling as if shot! Two more
alongside the rest! They will soon be all upon the turf. So much the
better. We can gallop up before they get to their feet again. Oh, that
I could hear that horn!"

And thus I went on rambling from thought to thought, and listening for
the signal, although I knew that it could not be given for some time
yet.

The buffaloes kept moving slowly onward, browsing as they went, and
continuing to lie down one after another. I thought it strange, their
stretching themselves thus successively; but I had observed farm cattle
do the same, and I was at that time but little acquainted with the
habits of the buffalo. Some of them appeared to toss about on the
ground and kick violently. I had heard of a peculiarity of these
animals termed "wallowing."

"They are at it," thought I. I wished much to have a clearer view of
this curious exercise, but the high grass prevented me. I could only
see their shaggy shoulders, and occasionally their hoofs kicking up over
the sward.

I watched their movements with great interest, now feeling secure that
the "surround" would be complete before they would think of rising.

At length the last one of the gang followed the example of his
companions, and dropped over.

They were all now upon their sides, half-buried in the bunch grass. I
thought I noticed the calf still upon its feet; but at that moment the
bugle sounded, and a simultaneous cheer broke from all sid